-041 



NOTES ON THE HISTOEY OF THE JEWS IN 
BAEBADOS. 

By N. Darnell Davis, C. M. G. 



Reprinted from 

Publications of the 

American Jewish Historical Society, 

No. 18, 1909. 




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NOTES ON THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS IN" 

BARBADOS. 

By N. Dabnell Davis, C. M. G. 

I. 

Extracted by N. Darnell Davis, C. M. G., from Vol. I, Miscel- 
laneous, pp. 397-416, of Manuscript Collections compiled by Dr. 
Lucas (grandfather of Rev. Charles Kingsley) and now in the 
possession of B. T. Racker, Esq., of Merview, Hastings, Barbados, 
West Indies. 

These people appeared here very early after the settlement of 
the county, both Dutch, French, and Portuguese (sic) : the 
French probably from Martinique, for the purposes of smug- 
gling; the Dutch, I presume, from Holland, when our trade 
in a manner centered there, and I have always understood 
that the bulk of them were of Portuguese origin; which is 
the highest order among them; and who in London, neither 
unite in the same synagogue or burial grounds ; here, however, 
they must coalesce, from paucity of numbers. 

The Portuguese Jews came to us, either directly from the 
Brazils, or through Surinam when possessed by us, or on its 
final evacuation by us to the Dutch, 1667. 

Soon after the discovery of the Brazils, great numbers of 
Jews were banished thither from Portugal in 1548. The 
Dutch invaded the Brazils in 1630; and, by 1635 they had 
conquered nearly the whole country ; and to this source, in the 
absence of any direct, I attribute the swarms of Jews, formerly 
found in the West Indies; for men of their habits were not 
likely to remain on the theater of war, when they could 
escape; and dealing always more in personal than real estate 
(having no kingdom of their own in which to purchase lands) 
11 129 



130 American Jewish Historical Society. 

they could more conveniently emigrate. Barbados and 
Martinique had become places of considerable commerce; 
Surinam was fast settling, and to those places they removed 
themselves (Appendix A.). To this source undoubtedly is 
chiefly owing the early and long-continued circulation of the 
Portuguese gold coins in this Island; and both the Brazils 
and the settlements on the east coast of Africa supplied im- 
mense sums to Portugal. 

This coin came to us as a bullion trade, from London and 
Portugal, where all the light pieces were bought by weight, 
and delivered by tare; and we likewise got some false coin. 

The Spanish coins were chiefly silver, the returns for Afri- 
cans sold to the Spaniards by the Koyal Company or 
individuals. 

And the reason we had no English money must have been 
the severe restrictive laws against exporting the coin of the 
realm, even to her own colonies; and the balance of trade 
being in her own favor, there was little necessity to make it 
up by coins. 

I find the following notices of them in our early history; 
and by the very first notices, on the 12th of August, 1656, it 
will be ascertained that they were here in considerable num- 
bers, and required regulation: 

As to the particulars relating to ye Jews presented by the Grand 
Jury, at the last general Sessions held for this Island, the Gover- 
nor and Council will take ye same into further consideration at 
next sitting. (" Minutes of Council," August 12, 1656, p. 248. See 
Appendix B.) 

Upon the Petition presented to ye Governor and Council con- 
cerning the Jews, by the Grand Inquest, that ye Laws and 
Statutes of ye Commonwealth of England relating to Foreigners 
and Strangers be exactly taken notice of, and put in due execu- 
tion, by those whom it should or may concern. ("Minutes of 
Council," August 12, 1656, p. 250.) 

Upon ye Petition of Jacob Nunez, Jew, it is ordered that the 
Judge of ye Court shall see the same; and forthwith cause his 
Marshal to levy the Execution therein mentioned, according to 
Law. ("Minutes of Council," August 12, 1656, p. 250.) 



Notes on History of the Jews in Barbados— Davis. 131 

The following order of the King in council will best explain 
itself ("Minutes of Council," August 10, 1681, p. 401) : 
At the Court of Whitehall, 29th of October 1669 
Present: 
The King's Most Excellent Majesty. 
His Royal Highness ye Duke of Yorke 
His Highness Prince Rupert 
Lord Archbishop of Canterbury 
Earl of Carlisle Lord Treasurer 

Earl of Craven Duke of Buckingham 

Lord Arlington Duke of Albermarle 

Lord Newport Duke of Ormond 

Lord Holies Earl of Ossory 

Lord Treasurer Earl of Bridgwater 

Mr. Vice Chamberlain Earl of Sandwich 

Mr Secretary Trevor Earl of Bath 

Whereas upon the humble Petition of Antonio Rodrigo Rigio, 
Abraham Levi Regio, Lewis Dias, Isaac Jeraio Coutinho, Abra- 
ham Pereira, David Baruch Louzado, and other Hebrews, made 
free Denizens by His Majesty's Letters Patents, and residing at 
Barbados (read at ye Board ye 15th of September, 1669), together 
with a certificate thereunto annexed, complaining, that notwith- 
standing their Denization, divers persons of said Island do 
endeavour to deprive them of the benefit thereof, and refuse to 
admit their testimony in Courts of Judicatures, and expose them 
to all sorts of injuries in their Trade, and praying relief therein, 
His Majesty was then graciously pleased in Council to refer the 
consideration thereof to ye Right Honble, the Lord Willoughby of 
Parham, His Majesty's Governor of ye Carribee Islands; who was 
required to report his opinion thereupon, to His Majesty in 
Council, who delivered in his Report in writing as followeth 
(vizt) : — 
"May it please Your Majesty: 

" In obedience to Your Majesty in Council's order of ye 15th of 
September last past, made upon ye Petition of Antonio Rodrigo 
Rizio, Abraham Levi Rizio, and other Hebrews made free Deni- 
zens by Your Majesty's Letters Patents, and residing at Barbados, 
I have called to my assistance some of the chief Planters, and 
have considered of the said Petition, and certificate thereunto 
annexed, and do thereupon humbly Report to Your Majesty, that 
I do find that Your Majesty's Hebrew subjects in the Island of 



132 American Jewish Historical Society. 

Barbados have not been exposed to any other injuries in their 
Trade, or otherwise, than only such as they conceive redound to 
them by reason of the non-admittance of their Testimony in 
Courts of Judicature; whereof also, during my residence on my 
Government I never received any complaints from them. But I 
do find it to be true, that the Judges in the Courts of Judicature 
in Barbados have ever since Your Majesty's/most happy Restora- 
tion, refused to admit of the Testimony of the Hebrews in such 
cases wherein Your Majesty's Christian subjects are parties; for 
that they are of opinion that by ye Law they neither can, nor 
ought to admit them, since they refuse to swear upon the Holy 
Gospel, which ye Law requires to be done in ye administration of 
all oaths, in civil causes depending between Your Majesty's sub- 
jects. Nevertheless their Testimony hath been, and is admitted 
in those courts in all cases depending between Hebrew and 
Hebrew, to which Your Majesty's Christian subjects are not 
parties; but I do find, that in the time of the late Usurpation, 
their Testimonies were then admitted in all Courts, and in all 
cases whatsoever; and if it shall appear to Your Majesty, that by 
reason of the present non-admittance of their Testimonies in all 
cases, they do receive Injury in their Trade (the freedom whereof 
I do think to be the Interest of that Your Island), I humbly con- 
ceive, that if Your Majesty shall be pleased to direct Your 
Governor to require his Council, and the Assembly there, to pre- 
pare and pass an Act or By-Law, for the free admission of their 
Testimony, as is desired, it will be effectual to that purpose; 
which I most humbly submit to Your Majesty's Most Princely 
Wisdom. 

"Wm. Willoughby." 

Which being this day read at the Board, it was upon due con- 
sideration of the whole matter, thought fitt, and accordingly 
ordered by His Majesty in Council, that ye Right Honbie the Lord 
Willoughby of Parham, the present Governor of the Carribee 
Islands, and the Governor there for the time being be, and he is 
hereby directed and authorized to require his Council, and the 
Assembly there, to pass an Act or By-Law, whereby such Hebrews 
as shall from time to time be Naturalized by His Majesty, and 
resident in the said Island of Barbados, shall and may be freely 
admitted to give their Testimony in the Courts of Judicature 
there, in such manner and form, as the Religion of the said 
Hebrews will permit; and such as the Governor for the time 
being, His Council and the Assembly there, shall allow of; and 



Notes on History of the Jews in Barbados — Davis. 133 

likewise to enjoy the full benefit of their Naturalization, accord- 
ing to the tenor and purport of His Majesty's Letters Patents. 

Richard Browne. 

In pursuance of the foregoing royal order the following 
law No. 61 (M. L.) was passed February 18, 1674, restrain- 
ing the testimony of the Jews to matters relating to trade and 
dealing only; and so continued to the year 1786, when it was 
repealed by No. 40 (M. L.) ; the legislature refusing to grant 
more though enjoined thereto by the foregoing royal order. 

No. 61. An Act appointing how the Testimony of People of the 
Hebrew Nation, shall be admitted in all courts and causes. 

Whereas His Sacred Majesty hath signified his Royal pleasure, 
that all persons of the Hebrew Nation resident in this Island, 
that are made her Denizens may be admitted to give their Testi- 
monies on their oaths, in all Courts and Causes, in such manner 
and form as the Religion of the said Hebrews will admit. Be it 
therefore Enacted and ordained by His Excellency Sir Jonathan 
Atkins, Kt, Captain General and Chief Governor of this, and other 
the Carribee Islands, the Council and Assembly of this Island, 
that all such persons of the Hebrew Nation as reside in this 
Island, and are men of Credit and Commerce, shall from hence- 
forth be freely admitted before all Judges, Justices and other 
Officers, in all Courts and Causes whatever, relating to Trade and 
Dealing, and not otherwise, to give their Testimony upon their 
Oaths, on the five Books of Moses, in such manner and form as is 
usual, and the Religion of the said Nation doth admit. 

Assented to the 19th of February 1674 

Edwin Stede, Depty Govr. 

The Jews finding their persons not protected by the fore- 
going enactment, presented the following petition to Sir Rich- 
ard Dutton, knight, the Governor of that time : 

Barbados — To His Excellency Sir Richard Dutton, Knight, 

Captain General and chief Governor of Bar- 
bados, &c, the Honble Council and Worthy 
Gentlemen of the Assembly. 

The Humble Petition of Aaron Baruch Louzado, Daniel Bueino, 1 

1 Surely Daniel Bueino must be a Portuguese Jew; and perhaps 
the origin of the present name Bynoe; a name I never met with 
anywhere else. 



134 American Jewish Historical Society. 

and Jacob Formzabe, in the behalf of themselves and the rest of 
the Jews in this Island humbly sheweth: 

That whereas by an Act made and passed by His Excellency 
Sir Jonathan Atkins, Knight, late Governor of this Island, the 
Honble Members of the Council and Gentlemen of the Assembly, 
bearing date of the 18th of February, 1674, it was thereby enacted 
and ordained, that all such persons of the Hebrew Nation as 
reside in this Island, and are men of Credit and Commerce, 
should be admitted before all Judges, Justices and other officers, 
in all Courts and Causes whatsoever, relating to Trade and Deal- 
ing, and not otherwise, to give their Testimony on their Oaths, 
on the five Books of Moses, in such manner and form as usual, 
and the Religion of the said Nation doth admit; and whereas 
also, by an order made and passed by His Excellency Sir Jonathan 
Atkins, Knight, Governor of this Island, &c, and the Honble 
Members of the Council, bearing date the 25th of November, 
1675, ! being for the better Confirmation of Peace (the Jews 
having formerly been threatened by some Christians, by reason 
whereof they went in fear of their lives), and that they might 
have the benefit of protection against outrages, by his Majesty's 
Laws in such case provided, they conforming themselves to the 
direction of the Laws: 

And whereas the said Act and Order, by the Departure of the 
said Governor, are now become of no force or validity to your 
Petitioners, whereby they may receive any benefit thereof for 
recovering of their just debts, and enabling them to trade, traffic, 
etc., and have commerce with the Christians and to defend them- 
selves against accruing wrongs and injuries, without Your Excel- 
lency's tender and prudent consideration of the great hardships 
and confinement Strangers and Foreigners lie under in such cases, 
will be graciously pleased to give relief. 

Whereof in all humility Your Petitioners implore Your 
Excellency, the Honble members of the Council, and worthy 
Gentlemen of the Assembly, to extend your favour so far, as 
to take the Said Act and Order of Council under your serious 
and prudent consideration, that the said Act and Order may 

2 The order of the 25th of November, 1675, by Sir Jonathan 
Atkins is wanting — the volume containing it not being in exist- 
ence, to my knowledge; but the substance of it is in this petition. 
But see article by Dr. Friedenwald containing it in Publications 
of the American Jewish Historical Society, No. 5, p. 96. 



Notes on History of the Jews in Barbados — Davis. 135 

be Revived; or that a new Act or Order of Council may pass 
to the same intents and purposes, whereby Your Petitioners 
may not be utterly debarred and disenabled to Trade and 
Traffic, for acquiring an honest livelihood for their mainte- 
nance and support in this World. 
Barbados. 

By His Excellency. 
This Petition is referred and recommended to the Assembly to 
prepare a Bill to enable His Majesty's subjects of the Hebrew 
Nation resident in this Island, to be admitted to give their Testi- 
monies in the several Courts of Judicature in this Island, in such 
manner as the Religion of the Jews will permit, pursuant to His 
Majesty's Order-in-Council in their behalf made; whereby His 
Majesty is pleased to command the Governor of this Island for 
the time being, to require the Council and Assembly to pass an 
Act or Law for that purpose. 

This Board, upon the Petition of the Jews this day presented, 
having taken into their consideration a former Order here made, 
in the time of Sir Jonathan Atkins, then Governor, dated the 
25th of November 1675, whereby the then Governor and Council 
for the better preserving His Majesty's Hebrew Subjects residing 
in this Island, from being beaten, maimed or wounded, did order, 
that in such cases, the Jews should be permitted to give their 
own Oath in Evidence, for Proof, before such Justice of the Peace, 
before whom such complaint should be made; I do declare the 
said Order to be good and valid, notwithstanding Sir Jonathan 
Atkins, the then Governor, is not now Governor: and all Judges, 
Justices of the Peace, and all others are hereby desired to take 
notice thereof, and give obedience thereto accordingly. 

The Jews seem to have been objects of great anxiety with 
the Barbadians, although they did not aspire to any ascendancy 
in Church or State, the objects of terror to Episcopalians; 
and they (the Barbadians) refused to obey not only Sir 
Jonathan Atkins's order, but even the royal order itself, and 
would not give them their testimony in all cases, as required; 
but even passed an act in direct opposition, and kept in their 
law books for 112 years, viz., to the year 1786, as will be 
presently seen. And it was not judged expedient by the 
Lords of Trade, etc., to have it repealed. But even with per- 



136 American Jewish Historical Society. 

sonal inabilities they exceedingly flourished, till commerce 
took a new direction; and every difficulty in their dealings 
with the Christians vanished by their keeping a Christian clerk 
in their shops to prove their debts and contracts with them. 
At length in the year 1786 their testimony was restored to 
them without a struggle, I believe, by repealing No. 61 
(M. L.) by No. 40 (M. L.), as will be seen below, viz. : 

Whereas by an Act passed by the Assembly and Council of this 
Island, and assented to on the 18th day of February 1674, by His 
Excellency Sir Jonathan Atkins, Knight, then Governor, entitled 
" An Act appointing how the Testimony of the people of the 
Hebrew Nation shall be admitted in all Courts and Causes," 
reciting that his sacred Majesty had signified his Royal Pleasure, 
that all persons of the Hebrew Nation residing in this Island, 
that were made free Denizens, might be admitted to give their 
Testimony on their Oaths, in all Courts and Causes, in such manner 
and form as the Religion of the said Hebrew Nation would admit; 
it was therefore enacted, that all such persons of the Hebrew 
Nation as resided in this Island, and were men of Credit and 
Commerce, should from henceforth be freely admitted before all 
Judges, Justices and other officers, in all Courts and Causes 
whatsoever, relating to Trade and Dealing, and not otherwise, 
to give their Testimony upon their oaths on the Five Books of 
Moses, in such manner and form as was usual, and the Religion 
of the said Nation would admit: and whereas the Said Act having 
been made expressly Contrary to His then Majesty's Royal Pleas- 
ure, by confining the Testimony of persons of the Hebrew Nation 
to men of Commerce only, and to Causes relating to Trade and 
Dealing, and not otherwise, which His said Majesty, as by the 
Preamble of the said Act appears, intended and directed should 
be general, and extend to all free denizens of that nation in all 
Courts and in all Causes whatever, the same never received the 
Royal Confirmation; and not being considered as of force, was 
omitted by Rawlins, Zouch and Salmon, in their several compile- 
ments of the Law of this Island, and never printed, though their 
respective editions went through different impressions; but re- 
mained in the Secretary's Office unnoticed and disregarded, until 
the year 1762 when an Act having passed authorising Richard 
Hall, since deceased, to print a new edition of the Laws of Bar- 
bados, and the said Richard Hall not finding any actual repeal of 



Notes on History of the Jews in Barbados — Davis. 137 

the said Act, and conceiving it therefore, from the fact of the 
record, to be in force, he accordingly had the same printed and 
published in his said Edition of Laws, as an Act in force, taking 
notice, however, in a note at the foot of the said Act, that it had 
never been printed, or even the Title inserted in any former 
edition; and observing also in his preface, that some of the Acts 
printed in his collection were not in general use, but that he 
thought himself not authorised to omit any but those actually 
and expressly repealed: and whereas the Hebrew Nation, by the 
Laws and Constitution of England, whether natural-born subjects 
or aliens are admissable in all Courts and in all Causes whatso- 
ever, both Criminal and Civil, as Witnesses competent to give 
Testimony, upon their being sworn upon the Pentateuch; and 
such has been the constant practice as well in this Island as in 
England: — for as much therefore as the rejecting of the Testi- 
mony of Jews may be subversive of Justice, and attended with 
infinite inconveniences; Be it Enacted and declared by His Ex- 
cellency David Parry, Esquire, His Majesty's Captain General 
Governor, and Commander-in-Chief, etc., etc., etc., that the said 
recited Act ought not to be in force, but the same and every part 
thereof is, as is hereby declared to be null and void and abso- 
lutely repealed to all intents and purposes. 
Passed September 9th, 1786. 

This was one among the many acts that had long encum- 
bered and disgraced our code; and No. 82, the very next I 
shall quote, stands in the same unhappy light, viz., No. 82, in 
which is this clause against the Jews, repealed however soon 
after by No. 108, clause 1st. 

No. 82. Clause 17. And in regard the Planters' necessity doth 
compel them for the management only of their Lands, to keep so 
vast a stock of Negroes and other Slaves, whose desperate lives 
and great numbers become dangerous to them, and all other the 
inhabitants; that therefore such who are not bound up by that 
necessity, in having Plantations of their own, or hired land, may 
not increase the danger to this Island, by keeping Negroes or 
other Slaves to hire out to others: Be it therefore enacted by 
the Authority aforesaid, that no person of the Hebrew Nation, 
residing in any Sea-port town of this Island, shall keep or employ 
any Negro or other Slave, be he man or boy, for any use or ser- 
vice whatsoever, more than one Negro or other Slave, man or boy, 



138 American Jewish Historical Society. 

to be allowed to each of the persons of the said Nation, excepting 
such as are denizened by His Majesty's Letters Patent, and not 
otherwise, who are to keep no more than for their own use, as 
shall be approved of by the Lieutenant Governor, Council and 
Assembly: and if any Negro, man or boy, more than is before 
allowed by this Act, shall be found three months after the publi- 
cation hereof, in the Custody, possession, or use of any of the 
persons aforesaid, then every such person or persons shall forfeit 
such Negro or other Slave; one moiety of the value thereof to 
whomsoever shall inform, and the other moiety to His Majesty 
to the use in this Act appointed. 

They were early dealers in false coin, as well as importers 
of light coin, as before observed ; and their knowledge of the 
Portuguese language, and its near relative the Spanish, gave 
them great facilities in dealing with those two nations of 
bullion. I find the following early order to prosecute one of 
them recorded April 27, 1682 ("Minutes of Council," p. 
459): 

Information being given to this Board of Mr. Raphaell de 
Mercado importing and vending extraordinary light Spanish, 
which may in time prove a thing of evil consequence by means 
thereof; and for that it appeared to this Board the information 
had matter of truth in it; It is therefore ordered, that the said 
Raphaell de Mercado stand forthwith bound to the Grand Ses- 
sions, there to answer the same, himself in £500 sterling; and two 
sureties in £250, sterling, each: and 

that Jeremiah Cooke, Esquires, two of His Majesty's Justices 
of the Peace, summon the said Mercado before them and take 
his Recognizance; and likewise that they summon Captain 
Samuel W. Wiltshire to appear before them, and enter into 
Recognizance with what other persons whatsoever, to give in 
evidence against the said Mercado in this matter. 

It had been well for us had this prudent foresight of our 
ancestors not been forgotten in latter times. The practice of 
importing light Portuguese coins, in particular, extended to a 
most alarming depreciation of our currency. The papers on 
light coins and exchanges in the Carribean throw considerable 
light on the subject; but the unlawful gains of a very few 



Notes on History of the Jews in Barbados — Davis. 139 

grains in a light moidore or joe, lost by attrition were not 
even the shadow of a shadow of what we have since seen prac- 
ticed on the most extensive scale. Moidores that should be 
worth six dollars were clipped, filed, etc., to the intrinsic value 
of four ; joes of eight dollars to six ; and all coins, except those 
current in Great Britain, in the same proportion. 

When the original coins were not to be procured readily in 
sufficient abundance, for the file and scissors, joes were coined 
in England, both with ancient and modern dies, very fair to 
the eye, excellently milled, exactly of the size of the cut-joe, 
worth six dollars. They were imported in the greatest abund- 
ance, and remitted back immediately in bills or produce, at 
an enormous profit. Others were of the full size of a joe, 
very thin, with a shrill ring; not that of gold, supposed to be 
chiefly platina. These were from North America. 

The cut-joes, etc., clipped and filed in the country, were 
not milled. They would not take the trouble to do it. 

The evil was of gigantic magnitude, and we were tired with 
half -measures of honesty ; propounded, no doubt, by interested 
individuals: and when did half-measures ever do any good? 
At length the legislature appearing incapable or unwilling to 
do the only possible right thing, viz., giving the coins a cur- 
rency by weight, fineness and intrinsic value, Governor Parry 
interposed. He issued three proclamations with the advice 
of the council: the first two for regulating the silver coins, 
the third for those of gold. In those for silver, he was con- 
stitutionally correct; but not so in that for the gold, which 
was neither founded on the revival of an old law, nor fol- 
lowed by one legalizing the act, and indemnifying for it. But 
the good sense of the people prevailed. The measure was so 
just, and so imperiously called for, that no opposition whatso- 
ever was given to carrying it into immediate execution. The 
proclamations for the silver were grounded on the 6th Anne, 
Chap. 30; by which silver was virtually made the only legal 
tender here, by weight; and which, by the 19th Eoyal Instruc- 



140 American Jewish Historical Society. 

tion, he was bound to see carried into execution; but which 
payment having been much more inconvenient than tale, had 
been discontinued as much as possible. To the proclamation 
he annexed, at length, the act; and the measure was effectual. 
("Minutes of Council," March 16, 1791, pp. 205 and 211, 
and instruction at length.) 

This act of Anne was a good act when it passed; for much 
of the Spanish coin of that day was hammered silver and 
gold, at least dollars and pistoles, called cob-money. 8 

3 Cob-money, or hammered money, was this: a piece of the 
metal of the exact fineness and weight of the coin, rounded in 
shape as much as possible in so rude a production, was hammered 
on one side with the head of the reigning monarch, and on the 
other with his arms; very imperfectly done, however. It was 
thick in the middle, thin in the edges — a rude lump. The word 
Cob, I understand, in Spanish means a piece or lump of anything. 
The last Cob-Dollars that I have seen were brought by my Lord 
Combermere from St. Kitts. They were unknown there; but on 
showing them to me, and asking information, I explained them to 
him as old acquaintances. In a late tremendous flood in that 
island they had been washed down by a mountain torrent, in 
whose bed they had been long concealed, and worn black. I sup- 
pose they had been long buried there, when the island was in- 
vaded by General Codrington in 1689, or by Ibbeville in 1715. I 
may observe that the letters on the Portuguese gold coins denote 
the settlements where they were coined; as R. for Rio Janeiro, 
etc., the figures are their value in Reis, an imaginary coin of 
account, so that a five moidore piece, containing 20,000, makes a 
man very rich, in figures; but really possessing but thirty dollars. 
The edges were not milled, and much injured by villainy; and 
when they were milled, they were not clipped and mutilated in 
so barefaced a manner; and for a time the milling was effectual 
for their preservation; though at last they suffered. I remember 
much of the cob-dollar in the weighed-silver, but never in tale. 
The cob-pistoles I have seen in tale. The gold coins were next 
regulated, by an arbitrary and illegal measure undoubtedly, but 
a measure nevertheless absolutely necessary. He issued his 
proclamation, ordering 2%d. to be deducted for 'each grain of gold 
wanting of the standard weight of each denomination of current 



Notes on History of the Jews in Barbados — Davis. 141 

The Jews had the credit of being deeply implicated in the 
transactions, so dishonorable to us, that led to this beneficial 
arrangement, as well as being among the first introducers 
of light and counterfeit money. They have long had a 
synagogue and are protected in their religious rites; but no 
legislative enactments have hitherto been permitted, though 
attempted in their Vestry Bill; rather tolerated than estab- 
lished. They hold real estate, not sugar works, now; for 
what with their Sabbaths and ours, their holidays and some 
of ours, they cannot cultivate sugar in so dry and unseasonable 
an island, with any prospect of success. 

They are now confined to one street, Swan Street,* its true 
and very ancient name, and constantly so called by them ; but 
by others Jew Street. 

gold coins. Immediately they were all weighed, each separate 
piece wrapped up in paper, with its value written upon it, and 
its true weight. It was certainly at first very inconvenient, either 
to receive or pay away considerable sums; and was called 
" weighed gold." Great honor was observed in these transactions, 
and very trifling frauds were perpetrated. People seemed tired 
of cheating. But, being an excellent remittance, the whole very 
soon disappeared; and an honest, full-weight, milled currency took 
its place. (For the Proclamation vide "Minutes of Council," 
August 2, 1791, p. 231.) 

4 Swan Street is as old as Cheapside, two of the original streets 
at the first building of the town. It has not fallen to my lot to 
find the origin of that name; but I think it very likely to have 
been so called in honor of Captain Swan, one of the very first 
setlers here, who, I suppose, from his profession and skill, may 
have had a hand in laying it out, or resided in it. Ligon speaks 
of " one Captain Swan, the antientest and most knowing sur- 
veyor there." He drew the first map of the island, taken from 
him by the Governor, Sir Henry Hunckles, and never returned 
to him. (Vide Ligon, in Loco.) The sinuosity of both streets, 
I presume, marks the windings of the former beach. Cheapside 
extended from the new bridge to Shipping Bridge; and in it were 
the exchange and the butcher's market for meat, but no butchery 
there. 



142 American Jewish Historical Society. 

They are as a people very much reduced, in numbers and 
wealth ; and are little more than retailers. The causes of this 
declension appear to be chiefly those mentioned below, grow- 
ing out of the wonderful rise of Liverpool and commerce 
taking an entire new direction from thence. The canal sys- 
tem and the machinery in that part of England have raised 
the commerce of Liverpool beyond any competition, either in 
prices or expedition ; and the Jews having been supplied from 
London in great measure, they have lost in succession the linen 
trade, the cotton goods trade, the hardware and pottery trades, 
and the bullion trade. 

By opening the Irish trade, the linen manufactures of Ire- 
land are now sold here by their own merchants or agents, at 
the cheapest possible rates; and so very completely, that the 
very word "Holland," which denoted fine linen, has given 
place to " Irish " ; those linens having been formerly imported 
into England, from Germany, through Holland. The same 
fate has befallen the delph wares, which have given place to 
the more elegant and cheap manufactures of " Etruria " and 
the potteries. Manchester supplies us most abundantly with 
her cottons, and almost supersedes the East India cottons; 
and the hardwares of Birmingham and Sheffield are sold here 
by their own agents; and so are those from Manchester. The 
bullion trade is lost by our receiving only perfect and heavy 
coins; and being supplied abundantly with them by the 
government, in pay to her garrisons, etc. 

APPENDIX A. 
Ordered that the consideration (of the Memorial?) of the Jews 
and Foreigners brought from Brazele to this Island, be presented 
at the next sitting of ye Governor, Council and Assembly. (" Min- 
utes of Council," November 8, 1654.) 

APPENDIX B. 
Whereas it appears to this Board that the Jews in this Island 
are very prejudicial to Trade, by not buying the Produce of this 
Island; but, on the contrary, Ship off all the ready money they 



Notes on History of the Jews in Barbados — Davis. 143 

can get, It is ordered that the Solicitor General B and Queen's 
Counsel procure a list of what Negroes belong to the several Jews 
in this Island, and that they prepare a Proclamation to Revive, 
and put in Execution a Law relating to Jews keeping negroes. 
("Minutes of Council," July 9, 1705, p. 83.) 

II. 

MENTION OF THE JEWS IN THE RECORDS OF BARBADOS, 
BY J. GRAHAM CRUICKSHANK, ESQ. 

(1655) On the petition of several Jews, it is ordered that, 
behaving themselves civilly and doing nothing to disturb the 
peace, they shall enjoy the privileges and laws of the Island 
relating to foreigners and strangers. (" Council Minutes," 
Lucas' copy.) 

(1670) Petition of Jews in St. Michael's Town, that they 
are unequally taxed by the Vestry. 

(1681) Objection to Jews' testimony in cases where Chris- 
tians were involved. They would swear only on the five books 
of Moses, and not on the Holy Gospel. Ordered : That their 
testimony be admitted, they swearing as their religion 
allowed. 

(1682) Eaphael de Mercado to appear before Grand Sessions 
for importing and vending light Spanish money. 

(1705) It appearing to the Council that the Jews are very 
prejudicial to trade, by not buying the produce of the Island, 
but, on the contrary, shipping off all the ready money they 
can get : It is ordered that the Solicitor General and Queen's 
Counsel procure a list of what negroes belong to the several 
Jews in the Island and that they prepare a proclamation to 
revise and put in execution a law relating to Jews' keeping 
negroes. 
Note. — Lucas (Vol. 29) mentions an early Act (1688) prohib- 

5 N. B. Chilton, the Attorney General, was confined in Gaol 
by sentence of the Court of Grand Sessions — and suspended at 
this time. Rawlin, Solicitor General; William Walker, the 
Queen's Counsel. 



144 American Jewish Historical Society. 

iting Jews and others not employed in agriculture from keeping 
more than one negro each. I gather that the Jews made a good 
deal of their money by purchasing and hiring out negroes; and 
this order by Council was intended, evidently, to place them 
under disability in that direction. 

(1750) Case of the kidnapped Portuguese, brought to Bar- 
bados and sold to Jews unjustly for a term of years. 

Note. — There were also some laws all the titles to which, at 
least, are given by Rawlins and Hall. 

Adding to these notes : — Far, as the Jews were outside my 
field — it may be remarked that, from the number of Jews who 
lived and traded in it, Swan Street was at one time commonly 
known as Jew Street. 9 An advertiser in the Barbados Mer- 
cury for March 16, 1805, says : " . . . . Letters may be left 
at Mr. Hunt's, in Jew Street." And Mr. Hawker says that 
even forty years ago the street was so known. The stores 
there, I was told, had doors leading from one to another, be- 
cause, said my informant, the Jews " lived so loving." They 
had a peculiar custom of presenting every new Governor with 
what was known as "Jew Pie," viz., a crust covering a pile 
of gold coins. Omitting this present to one Governor, " ruc- 
tions " were the result. I forget how the row was settled. 

The Jews in Barbados are now a feeble folk, numbering 
scarce half a dozen, headed by the Baezas. I visited the 
synagogue which stands at the corner of Synagogue and 
Magazine T lanes. Behind the wall, in the graveyard, lie about 
a thousand tombstones, very close to one another. A favorite 
engraving on them is an axman cutting down the unfruitful 
tree. A few of the inscriptions are in English, but most in 
Hebrew. The oldest tomb I made out was that of David 
Raphael Mercado, merchant (perhaps he who imported and 
vended the light Spanish money) who died August 14, 1685. 
When the late Rev. Daniels was alive, services used to be held 

6 After Surveyor Swann, whom Ligon mentions. 
T From its leading to the powder magazine, which stood about 
where the Free Library now stands, then outside the town. 



Notes on History of the Jeivs in Barbados — Davis. 145 

in the synagogue every Saturday morning. But since his 
death in 1905, and the appointment of no successor services 
are held only on festivals, by Mr. Joshua Baeza, merchant, in 
Bridgetown. The synagogue is opened every Saturday morn- 
ing for anyone who cares to go there to pray, but no one goes. 
The lamp is always kept burning before the Ark, and I be- 
lieve ten Mosaical scrolls are in the Ark, in good preservation. 
But the synagogue lacks a congregation. 

Within the churchyard walls is another building where the 
caretaker stays. He tells me that, many years ago, there used 
to be a school there where Jews in Bridgetown sent their chil- 
dren, daily, to be taught by a rabbi. There was also in the 
building a room where poor Jews coming to the island were 
lodged until they found something to do. 

The caretaker further said that at Speightstown there used 
to be a synagogue which was destroyed in the 1831 hurricane, 
and never rebuilt. 

The quiet of the synagogue and surrounding yard, in 
Bridgetown, is extraordinary in the heart of a busy and con- 
gested city. 

LAWS OF BARBADOS ( HALl/s EDITION). 

Among those noted as obsolete, etc. : 

33. Private. An Act to make Captain Ham a free denizen, 
March 3, 1646. 

208. Concerning the Denization of certain Jews herein 
named, July 2, 1662. 

WILLS AT SOMERSET HOUSE. 

Eeference mark Pett 134. Jamaica property — Captain 
John Moses, of H. M. S. " Anglesea," 23rd Oct. 1703— 12th 
March 1704, Commission to Wm. Moses, Brother. 

Eeference mark Browning 150. Peter Passataigre of St. 
Michael's, Barbados, Planter. Will dated 1716, proved 1719. 

There is a will of Sampson, of Antigua. This was appar- 
ently another Jewish family. Query whether these were 
Jews? 
12 



146 American Jewish Historical Society. 

III. 

Domestic State Papers — 1655 — (1-92). 

warrants of the protector and council. 

1655, April 27th. For Abr. de Mercado, M. D., Hebrew, 

with David Eaphael de Mercado, his son, to go to Barbados, 

where he has an order from His Highness to exercise his 

profession. 

IV. 

Extract prom Letters on Slavery, etc., by William 
Dickson, London, 1789. 

(p. 138.) The Alms House in Bridgetown for the recep- 
tion of the (white) Poor is the only apology for a Hospital 
belonging to Barbados. 

But, from the Barbados Mercury of October 28, 1786, I 
perceive that a subscription was opened on July 7, for estab- 
lishing " The Barbadoes General Dispensary, for the 
relief of the Sick poor." 

Of this charity His Excellency Governor Parry and his lady, 
with a considerable number of other ladies and gentlemen, 
liberally contributed; and the active Humanity of that able 
physician Doctor Handy was particularly useful in promoting 
it. Be the effects and the duration of this charity what they 
may, the public spirit and Humanity which actuated the 
founders of it, do them much honour. 

From that honour far be it from me to detract ; but, justice 
to a humble remnant of a once highly favoured State calls 
upon me to observe, that, of the sum subscribed to this 
charity, upwards of one tenth was contributed collectively and 
individually by the Hebrew Nation; though their numbers 
fall short of one twentieth of the white inhabitants of Barba- 
does, and not one hundredth part of the property of the Island 
is in their hands. Sir, this despised (not to say oppressed) 
but peaceable, loyal and, I will add, venerable, people, still 
remember, as they were commanded, the affliction of their 



Notes on History of the Jews in Barbados — Davis. 147 

forefathers, in the land of Egypt. This surely is an amiable 
principle ; and, for the peculiarity of their other tenets, while 
they disturb not society, they are not accountable to man. It 
is remarkable that they were enjoined to "spoil the Egypt- 
ians," — -their oppressors — in order, no doubt to vindicate for 
themselves the wages due for their servitude. 

V. 

Extract from a Poem Entitled Barbadoes, by M. J. 
Chapman. 8 

See the rare date ! whose branches dropt with gold, 
And drest with flowers, the sons of Israel hold ; 
In solemn pomp proceeding, when comes round 
The feast of Tabernacles 

Note from page 91. 

The Jews in this Island, who have given a name to one of 
the best streets in Bridge-Town, used to carry in processions 
on the Festival I have mentioned, branches of the Date-tree, 
gilt and dressed with flowers. It is interesting to observe 
them adhering to all the rites and ceremonies which can keep 
alive in their minds the memories of their "pleasant land." 
They have successfully claimed the respect of their fellow- 
colonists, and have always been well treated by those whom 
Mr. Montgomery happily calls " the funguses of the Earth " 
— the West Indians." 

8 Published in London in 1833, in a volume of verse entitled, 
" Barbados and other Poems." (page 12.) 

9 Compare articles on the Jews of Barbados in Publications of 
the American Jewish Historical Society, No. 5, pp. 57-61, 90-99 
(Dr. H. Friedenwald) ; No. 1, pp. 105-108 (Dr. Cyrus Adler) ; 
No. 2, pp. 95-97 (M. J. Kohler) ; No. 12, pp. 40-42 (L. Hiihner), 
and the article on " Barbados," by Dr. Herbert Friedenwald, in 
"Vol. Ill of the Jewish Encyclopedia, which utilized B. S. Daniel's 
" Extract from the Various Records of the Early Settlement of 
Jews in Barbados," privately printed, 1899. See supra, pp. 16, 17. 



148 American Jewish Historical Society. 

VI. 

Domestic State Papers— 1662-1664— (68-90). 
1662-63, February, No. 138. Grants of Denization to 
James Gayo and Jeronimo Eodriques Resio, living in Barba- 
dos, provided they take the Oath of Allegiance before the 
Chief Magistrate there. 

1663, June 22, No. 104. Warrant for a Grant to Toros 
(Francis?) Lord Willoughby, and Lawrence Hyde of the 
sole use for 14 years, in Barbados and the other Caribee 
Islands, of a Sugar Mill newly invented by David de Mercato, 
with power to employ therein Mercato, or any others whom 
they may think fit. 

1664, January 2. Warrant for a Grant to Francis, Lord 
Willoughby of Parham, and Lawrence Hyde, second son of the 
Lord Chancellor, for 21 years, of the sole making and fram- 
ing of Sugar Mills, after a new manner invented by David de 
Mercado, who is desirous of the said Grant to be made to 
them, they giving him all due encouragement. 

VII. 

The Oldest Jewish Tombstones in Barbados. 
(l) sa 

DOEMCVRTADOARON 

DEMBRCADO QVE 

FAIESEO EM 9 

DE ADAR 5420 

This is engraved on the stone just as written, without any 
punctuation. Properly it would be : 

Do Em Curtado, Aron De Mercado, Que Faieso Em q de 
Adar 5420 (1660). 

(2) Here Lyeth y e Body of David Raphael De Mercado 
Merchant who Departed this world y 6 14 th of August 1685. 

Sepultur A do Bemanenturado De Dauid Raphael De Mer- 
cado Que Faleceo Sm 24 de Menahem An 5445 Sua Alma 
Goze da Gloria. 

A Hebrew inscription on the tomb corresponds with these. 






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